Well, be honest, what did you think?? If I'm being totally honest, it took me a good hour to really get into the show again. Even as prepared as I was, I wasn't buying into the whole "flash-sideways" at first and I wasn't even teary eyed watching Juliet die, again. But as soon as the episode was over I hit my rev button on the tivo and started it over again and loved it much more the second time. I guess I felt like the carpet was about to be pulled from under me at first and not in a good way. But Darlton said "trust us" so trust I did and now I'm in love all over with this show. I'm going to attempt to recap the show and add my take on certain scenes like I've done with season's past, but I'm not making any promises to do this weekly because let's be frank, I've broken that promise more times than Ben's lied and that's say'n something.
Again if you are looking for some kick ass unique write-ups I recommend you look here or here.
Kiss Today Goodbye, The Sweetness and the Sorrow
So after watching Juliet call Jughead "you sonofabitch" for about the 10th time in 3 minutes (if you watched the recap show) we get the white screen and suddenly we are back with Jack soaring comfortably above the Pacific on the way to LAX from Sydney, just like in the pilot ep. Only there are some very big differences on this flight.
*Jack receives only 1 bottle of extra vodka from Cindy the boozing giving flight attendant
*Jack is nervous about flying and Rose is comforting (in the pilot Jack was comforting Rose)
*Shannon was not on the plane
*Charlie tried to swallow his heroine instead of stash it in the bathroom
*Desmond was on the plane
*And of course the biggest change: THIS PLANE LANDS IN LAX!
Now before we move onto what happened on the plane and what happens after it lands let's discuss what it is we are seeing here. We know that Darlton (Damon and Carlton the producers and masterminds of LOST) are calling these scenes "flash-sideways" I think this is a huge hint that maybe this isn't Oceanic Flight 815 that flew in September of 2004. Maybe it's really 2008ish and this is Oceanic Flight 314 or something. The differences in what happened are very distinct and purposefully and they aren't calling this a flash BACK it's a flash SIDEWAYS as in maybe this is happening at the same time as our 815ers are dealing with the aftermath of Jughead on the island. Now I know that they also showed us with their not so special effects that as the plane is in the air the island is underwater, but we also know the Island jumps around in space-time anyway so maybe that is still the islands future resting place... confused? yeah me too and it's my own theory. So onto some more story and maybe it will clear up.
On the plane Jack visits the bathroom and is surprised by his appearance in the mirror. I think any not-a-teen-anymore woman recognized the look on Jack's face in there. To me it screamed "Wow I look OLD!" "When did that wrinkle show up!" then top it off he has a fresh cut from who knows where. I think the time split, or whatever happened that caused this alternate timeline, can never truly be 100% separate from the first. There are links. Maybe the 815ers all aged an extra 3 years, maybe they somehow retained a deja vu sense from their other timeline. I'm not sure how it works yet but I'm sure Hurley will at some point have a candid dumbed down explanation for us in an episode sooner or later. What I do believe though is that these two realities cannot coexist together for long. They need to merge back together, and I think there is only one person who can make that happen. My hottie Scotty Desmond! Of course it was no coincidence that he was on the plane, a flight he was never on in reality 1. He has been deemed special by many people throughout the show. He's flashed between present and past in his mind, he's gone back and relived a part of his past over, he's seen flashes of future events and taken measures to change the immediate future. He even created a new "memory" when Daniel visited him at the hatch. He seems to be the only one who has a hand up on time and all it's tricks and I think he will be the key to putting things back together. How? No idea. But here's a thought. Des saw Charlie die, over and over, no matter what he did Charlie would die, but he kept trying to save him each time anyway. 
Maybe he was on the plane to try and keep Charlie from dying just like he did on the island. Maybe he knew Jack would fall asleep and he wouldn't have heard the page for a doctor on the plane and he wouldn't have saved Charlie's life if Des hadn't had a quick chat with him to keep him up. Not sure how it helps put time back together, but it's a thought. I also think that Desmond is fully aware of the double time lines and totally recognizes Jack but knows he can't respond to Jack's "Do I know you from somewhere?" with a "brotha, I met you on a tropical island where I crashed your plane and told you to push a button until I blew it up and then escaped with you on a helicopta". He never does deny knowing Jack, he just responds with "Well, I'm not sure". Which is true, he probably doesn't know if Jack knows him, or if any other 815ers can see it both ways like he does, or maybe he's not even sure himself which part of their life he's in at the moment....
The rest of the flash side-ways scenes were entertaining but I didn't see a lot else that I can comment uniquely one expect to say, what if detonating Jughead changed more in the 815ers lives than just their plane crashing. We know at the very least that Hurley's back story pre-boarding changed because he went from "cursed" to the luckiest man alive! It would appear that Kate is still a fugitive (but still for murdering her father?) and Jin still works for Sun's dad Mr. Paik. But, does Sun still speak English? Was she still planning to leave her husband in this timeline and she was just lying to the customs agent or does she truly not understand? Also, we do see Claire in the cab at the end, but what we don't see is her belly. Is she still pregnant with Aaron? Was she even on the plane or did she already meet the nice LA couple, give birth and sign away her baby and is headed back home? I could be making much more of not seeing that swollen belly than is really there, but it's a thought for now.
By far my favorite of the flash-sideways scenes was the one at the end between Jack and Locke. Even in an alternate reality we still have our great debate of man-of-science vs man-of-faith. I absolutely loved the idea of Jack fixing Locke. Oh, thought again. Maybe the Island never fixed Locke, maybe Jack fixed him and that was just another example of the timelines crossing like Jack's cut neck and deja vu memory. Now THAT would be cool. By far the best line of the night, and one we were meant to really listen to : "Nothing is irreversible" I think that will pretty much be the motto of this finale season, and I hope it holds true.
I had more planned for this post but I'm about to hit the hay and I know me and if I don't wrap this up quicker IT WILL NEVER BE POSTED! So I'm speeding up the on Island events to only things I have something to comment on:
*Back at the hatch we have to re watch Juliet die once again only this time it's tragically in her loves arms. Ryan at Zap2it(linked above) had this to say about her and Saywer's last convo and I 100% agree! "I think Juliet, at the epicenter of the event that caused this schism, saw both timelines simultaneously." I love this idea and I'm really rooting for a Sawyer Juliet reunion by seasons end. I would adore seeing these two "meeting" for the first time at a coffee shop and going dutch...
*I really like Hurley's can do attitude through the show. He still makes me laugh and I think he's pureness will be important in the war that looks eminent on the island.
*The look on Richard's face when he realizes not-Locke = MIB was terrifying. I assumed immediately of course that the comment about Richard in chains meant he arrived as a slave on The Black Rock (which we know is a slave ship) but my mom has an even better theory I think, but I will have to wait and ask her if I can post it :)
*The scene where MIB tells Ben how pathetic John Locke was broke my heart at first, but then I decided, Locke is just too important to not be special in this story anymore. I don't think he is just a pawn in this whole thing, I know Jacob is dead but he has to bring Locke back to life somehow. Maybe MIB underestimating just how special Locke is well be his ultimate demise. If Sayid can come back from the dead I'm calling it that Locke will be back too somehow, and I think he will get to stay on the island like he wanted and be happy there. After all, nothing is irreversible. . .
Speaking of resurrecting the dead.... There is a super strong biblical theme going on with this show and it's seems stronger this season then ever before. In case you missed it, here are some of ABC's promo pictures that I would say confirm this belief. The LOST Super.
Notice Locke in the middle where Jesus should be? Notice Sayid where Judas should be? I would have thought Ben would be pictured in that spot... Not sure if where everyone is besides Locke has any significance but it's a pretty cool pic none the less. There has been buzz around the blogosphere ever since a counter to Jacob was revealed that perhaps MIBs name is Esau from the biblical story of the brothers Jacob and Esau. You can go read it for yourself in the bible (which I recommend) or get an overview here. The idea of Jacob and MIB as brothers, MIB meant to serve Jacob, and MIB wanting to kill him (for stealing his birth right as leader maybe) fits the theme of both stories. The show has been very careful not to release MIB's name so it could be a big reveal if it's Esau. Keep your eye out for other religious themes in the show. I think we are in for a lot this season.
Can't wait till next week's episode. The title alone has me super intrigued. It's good to have you back LOST, it's good to have you back....
